Page 160 of A Long Way Back
“Condoms and lube.”
Tay chuckled.
“Here,” Ink said. “Have a—I’ve forgotten what this one’s called.”
“Longan. The dragon eye fruit.” Tay peeled it with his fingers. “Remember you can see the seed through the flesh and it looks like an eye.” He popped it in his mouth.
“Looks more like a peeled testicle.”
Tay almost spat it out.
“Does it taste like one?” Ink grinned. “Or a dragon’s eye?”
“It’s delicious. Almost all the fruit here is delicious. Some of it just looks a bit strange.”
Ink peeled another longan, put it in his mouth, chewed the sweet flesh, then spat the dark seed into his hand.
“We could go looking for these on the island.” Ink turned to look at the trees at the back of the beach. “Or not.”
“Let’s go for not.”
Ink chuckled. “Are you looking forward to going home?”
“Everywhere is home when I’m with you.”
That brought a lump to Ink’s throat. “Do you think you’d ever like to live somewhere other than Northumberland?”
“What? And leave our little house near the sea? With a garden, flowers front and back, and a small lawn? How many places did we look at before you decided that was the one?”
“A few.”
“Thirty-six.”
“Was it?” Ink grinned.
Tay caught hold of his hand. “I love Northumberland, but I love you more. As long as we’re together, I’ll live anywhere.”
“Equatorial New Guinea?”
“Probably not there.”
“Would you love me even if I wasn’t a millionaire?”
Tay laughed. Ink asked him the same question at least once a week. “No. I only want you for your money.”
“And my hot body.”
“That goes without saying.” Tay rubbed his thumb over Ink’s palm. “You know I don’t care about the money. All I want is for you to be happy.”
“You make me happy. It’s such a flighty feeling. I’ve spent the last twelve years looking for it, sometimes finding it, but never managing to keep hold. Now I have. At last. I’d never have found you if all that happened to me hadn’t happened. Not that I’m glad about any of my past, but I think you’re my reward. I didn’t need the money, I just needed you.”
“And Dog.”
Ink laughed. “I think Dog might want to stay with your mum and dad. Your mum spoils him.”
“Is there anything you’d still like to be sorted?” Tay asked.
“I’d like Ru to take the money, but I can’t make him. I’d like Carter to lose all his hair and his teeth, but I haven’t got to that chapter in my paramedic handbook.”
